Ghaziabad 'Bakrid invite' murder: Main accused Asad shot dead in encounter

GHAZIABAD: The prime accused in the fatal stabbing of a Class 11 student in Ghaziabad was shot dead in a police encounter late on Saturday night.Officials said the accused, Asad, was wanted in connection with the killing of 17-year-old Surya Pratap, who was stabbed during an altercation in Khoda Colony on Thursday evening and succumbed to injuries on Friday afternoon.According to police, Asad was planning to meet associates in the Khoda police station area and allegedly intended to flee after collecting money from them.Acting on the information, police teams set up checkpoints and combed the area.Police said Asad and one of his associates arrived on a motorcycle and were intercepted, following which the encounter took place."Today, the police team received information that Asad was going to meet some of his friends in the Khoda police station area and was planning to escape after taking some money from them. Based on this information, the entire team combed the entire area and set up checkpoints," officials added.Police further said, "Asad and one of his friends were seen arriving here on a bike. The police team attempted to stop them and warn them, but instead of stopping, they opened fire on the police team.""In the retaliatory fire, the police fired in self-defence, in which Asad was shot.""Asad was immediately taken to the hospital for treatment. During this exchange of fire, one of our constables was also injured and was taken to the hospital. Asad's bike was recovered and the pistol he used to fire was also recovered. The police are conducting a thorough investigation of the entire incident and taking further legal action," officials further said.Police added that Asad later died of his injuries in hospital. A constable injured in the exchange of fire is also undergoing treatment.'Tumne kabhi bakra halal hote dekha hai?'Surya Pratap, a Class XI student of a private school and resident of Navneet Vihar in Khoda Colony, was attacked near Sharma Dairy.His elder brother Yash, in a complaint to police, said Surya was attacked by Asad with intent to kill.“My brother and his friends Ayush and Vicky were together at the time. Meanwhile, they encountered Asad in the lane. He began quarrelling with my brother and hurled abuses. Asad stabbed my brother four times in the abdomen with intent to kill. After getting information, we immediately reached and took him to a nearby private hospital, where he succumbed to injuries on Friday,” Yash said.Friend Vicky told police that Surya was invited earlier in the day in connection with Bakrid by a youth from the neighbourhood. According to him, Surya, Vicky and Ayush went to the accused’s locality, where a conversation escalated into a confrontation.Vicky said Asad allegedly told Surya, “Tumne kabhi bakra halal hote dekha hai?” to which Surya replied “Nahi”. He added that Asad then said, “Aao dikhate hain (Have you ever seen a goat being killed? Come, we will show you).”Vicky further said that when Surya tried to leave, the accused allegedly began abusing and attacking him, leading to the stabbing.